If you know me in real life, or have read my posts about sugar woes, you know that food and weight have been lifelong battles for me.
Last year, I successfully gave up sugar for six months. Since then, I’ve hopped on and off the sugar train more times than I care to count (why does the conductor keep punching my ticket?). I dropped a bit of weight, most of which has stayed off, and yet my eating habits are straying back toward utterly reprehensible from merely rather embarrassing. And the walking I’d been doing? Yeah, that has disappeared, as well.
It’s time to do something. I sit far too often and move far too little (especially now that I’m writing). I eat nutritionally empty foods, and then complain about how I feel. And now that I’m in my 40s, some of the deleterious effects of this non-approach to health are making themselves known. No fun.
As I a) do well with new approaches and b) do well with all-or-nothing type deals (moderation is NOT workable for me when it comes to this issue), I’m doing the Whole 30, a plan recommended to me by my doctor, and about which I’ve been reading a lot the last few days.
Sure, there will be things I’m giving up:
- sugar [cue the sobbing]
- grains/gluten [what? no donuts?]
- dairy [cheeeeeeez]
- alcohol [ha ha, I don’t drink]
- legumes [bye bye, beloved peanut butter]
- soy [oh boy]
But there will be things I’m gaining: not only will I finally be eating the foods that are really GOOD for my body (high-quality protein, veggies, fruits, and good fats), but if things go as planned, I’ll also be improving the quality of my sleep, my energy levels, the way my body feels on a day-to-day basis, and maybe I’ll even drop a few pounds.
(If you’ve done this plan, I’d LOVE to hear from you, either in the comments below, or via email at AuthorMargaretLocke@gmail.com.)
Once a week, I’ll pop in and document my progress, not because I think y’all will be riveted to the screen, but because I need accountability, and how much more accountability can one ask for than to post publicly that one is doing this?
Pray for me, will ya? Or send warm wishes – whatever works for you. Because it isn’t going to be easy for this sugar-addicted, chocolate-inhaling, carb-loving woman to give that up.
But it will be good.
I just realized while reading this that age 40 was about the age (I think it was actually the year I turned 38, but anyway . . .) I found myself feeling really angry about the fact that I had to take care of my health in order to feel good! Up to that point, I could just take feeling good every day for granted. Somehow it made me mad to think I had to add taking care of my health to my over-packed To Do list. Of course by now (I’m 67) I’ve gotten used to it, although it occasionally irks me that I have to spend MORE time taking care of my health than I did at age 40. It’s worth it, though. So worth it. Good luck with Whole30! We’ll be cheering you on and recommitting to our own health routines!
I’v been mad about it for a while, too – but the good news, I guess, is that I’m actually FEELING the differences now between when I choose healthy behaviors and when I don’t. For the longest time, I could “get away with it,” with the exception of weight. Now I can’t. Thanks for the support! Whole 30 is supposed to be good for migraines, too – though I’m sure A knows best what he’s doing!
I’m so proud of you and excited for you! Can’t wait to watch the transformation!!!!
Let’s pray there is one! Thanks for the support, Jeanine!